LAW & DISORDER: White House Boys' class-action suit dismissed

The Times-Union

Wednesday

Feb 24, 2010 at 12:01 AM

A Leon County judge Tuesday dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed by a group of former Florida reform school students, including several from Northeast Florida, who claimed they were abused by school officials decades ago.

The year-old suit filed by the group known as the White House Boys came long past the four-year statute of limitations for such claims and had a series of other allegations not supported by case law, said the group's attorney, Greg Hoag.

The defendants in the suit were a handful of state agencies and one former school administrator at the Marianna school known by several names, including the Florida Industrial School for Boys. About 400 former students, many who attended the school in the 1950s and '60s, joined in the suit.

Hoag said he expected getting the case to trial would be difficult because of the time elements and other issues. He said the former students can now seek financial relief through a legislative claims bill, which had been placed on hold as the court action was being litigated.

"We're still holding out hope for that," Hoag said.

Jim Schoettler

Man, 62, hit by golf cart Saturday dies at hospital

A Jacksonville man has died after he was struck by a golf cart Saturday at the Queen's Harbour golf course.

Michael Ronald Heim, 62, of the 2200 block of Art Museum Drive was taken to Shands Jacksonville after he was struck as he stood behind a cart.

Heim had stepped out of the cart after he and the driver stopped to search for a golf ball, according to a report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

A cart coming up from behind also was searching for a ball and did not see the first cart stopped. Heim was struck and momentarily pinned, then fell and struck his head, according to the report.

Dana Treen

Mom, daughter join rest of family on pot charges

The other half of a Jacksonville family charged in a federal pot distribution conspiracy has pleaded guilty in the case.

Sonia Dodd, 39, pleaded guilty Tuesday and her daughter, Branddie Campbell, 19, pleaded guilty Monday in the conspiracy that involved shipping hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to Jacksonville via UPS and FedEx from 2006 to 2009.

Dodd was accused of paying for the marijuana in trips to California. Her daughter was accused of taking delivery of the drugs. A federal jury last week convicted Dodd's two sons, Frederick and Alex Campbell.

Police received a tip in 2008 that the drugs were coming to Jacksonville from California. Search warrants served in properties tied to the family led to 150 pounds of marijuana being seized, along with about $560,000 in cash.

The family business began when Frederick Campbell started dealing grams of marijuana as a Wolfson High School student and grew to the distribution of hundreds of pounds before the family's fall.

Jim Schoettler

CLAY COUNTY

Man of interest in Somer case being brought back

Jarred Mitchell Harrell could make his initial Clay County court appearance this morning after being extradited from Mississippi to face child-porn charges and questions in the Somer Thompson slaying.

A three-vehicle caravan of Clay investigators and federal agents left Meridian, Miss., Tuesday morning with Harrell headed to Florida. The 24-year-old former Orange Park man had been fighting extradition since his arrest in Meridian Feb. 11 in the child-porn case. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour ordered him extradited last week.

"He is gone," said Sheriff Billy Sollie of Lauderdale County, Miss.

Citing safety concerns, Clay authorities said they would not publicly discuss Harrell's travel until he is booked into the local jail. The ride from Meridian to Green Cove Spring is about nine hours. The caravan was expected in Clay late Tuesday.

Harrell will likely face a judge via a video appearance from the jail, court officials said.

The child-pornography charges stem from graphic images Harrell's former roommates turned over to police in August after they found them on his laptop and computer discs.

In announcing those charges Feb. 11, Sheriff Rick Beseler also identified Harrell as a man of interest in the Oct. 19 disappearance and slaying of Somer, 7. When she disappeared walking home from school on Gano Avenue, friends of Harrell's family said he'd been spending time at his mother's home on the same route.

Beseler hadn't discussed evidence in that case, but a Times-Union interview with Harrell's father indicates investigators are relying in part on DNA.

Jim Schoettler

FLAGLER COUNTY

Witness tells police man shot himself in eye, died

The death of a 56-year-old Flagler County man is being investigated after a witness said the victim shot himself in the eye.

James Allen Small was on the second floor of the condominium on Riverview Bend North in Palm Coast when deputies responded to a 911 call about 12:15 a.m. Saturday. The witness told deputies Small shot himself with a 9mm handgun.

Sheriff Donald Fleming said detectives are investigating what happened in a domestic disturbance at the residence just before the shooting.

Dana Treen

2 arrested, charged in home-invasion robbery

Two St. Augustine men remain behind bars in Flagler County following a home-invasion robbery in Bunnell on Sunday.

Emmett Tatter, 21, of Narlin Drive and Johnathan Allen, 22, of Trillo Street were charged with home-invasion robbery, grand theft and aggravated assault, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. They are being held on $25,000 bail each.

The victim told deputies he was in bed in his Sawgrass Road home when his bedroom door was kicked open and two men barged in. One intruder held a knife to his throat while the other pointed a .22-caliber rifle at his head and demanded cash and valuables. They stole the victim's wallet, cell phone and about $2,000 in cash.

Cpl. Greg Tietje arrested the suspects during a traffic stop in the area. The valuables were recovered and the victim identified the attackers, the Sheriff's Office said.

Dan Scanlan

ST. JOHNS COUNTY

Woman thrown from car after hitting tractor, dies

A St. Augustine woman was killed Tuesday morning in a collision with a tractor-trailer rig in St. Johns County.

Bonnie K. Fowler, 68, was heading down Don Manuel Road toward County Road 13 shortly after 8 a.m. when she drove through a stop sign, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Her car collided with the right rear tire of the trailer.

The impact pushed the car off the road and it overturned after smashing into the tree line. Fowler, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, was ejected and died at the scene, authorities said.

The two men in the tractor-trailer were not injured.

Matt Coleman

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